The National Museum of Australia in Canberra has launched an exhibit honouring Fred Hollows' commitment to improving the eye health of Indigenous Australians.
The exhibit is on display in the ‘devotion’ section of the museum's Eternity Gallery, and focuses on Fred's work in remote Indigenous communities during the mid 1970s on the ground-breaking
National Trachoma and Eye Health Program.
A highlight of the exhibit is an illuminated eye chart used by Fred and his team to test the eyes of over 100,000 people across 465 remote communities. The installation also includes a multimedia component featuring photos of Fred and his colleagues at work.
The Foundation’s founding Director and Fred’s wife, Gabi Hollows, is happy more people will learn about the wonderful work Fred did while he was alive. She says the museum's collection "will give thousands of visitors an opportunity to learn more about Fred’s life and legacy.
“Fred was never one for accolades, I know he would be incredibly proud and honoured that his story was going to be preserved in the National Museum, alongside other iconic Australians,” said Gabi Hollows.
The Eternity Gallery showcases the lives of 50 people, famous and not famous, living and dead, whose stories collectively represent the millions of people who have called Australia home.
The Fred Hollows installation is expected to remain on display in the
Eternity Gallery for the next few years.
To find out more, visit the
National Museum of Australia website.